TARANAKI.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume II, Issue 37, 13 March 1862, Page 6 (Supplement)

TARANAKI.

To the Editor of the Taranaki Herald. Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass ora tinkling cymbal.”— Corinthians, Few who have read Canon Stowell’s speech, published iu the ]lfanx Sun, November 2, will fail to call to mind that portion of St. Paul’s beautiful epistle to the Corinthians on charity. That the reverend gentleman was misinformed we believe, knowing how, sometimes, impressions erroneously conceived find circulation even in the colony itself; but that such fierce denunciations should be listened to by an assemblage of our countryman with “ loud and continued applause” is to us a matter of grief and wonder. Truth will not at all times prevail. Entile the efforts of one poor voice ; how can it be heard beyond the limits of our little province. Denounced by the Cuhrch and those mighty organs of the press having in their keeping the consciences of our countrymeii, deciding against us, it still remained for a minister of the Gospel to pronounce us “ the offscouriug and the vagabonds of the mother coun* fry-” .

W e know that twenty years Lave elapsed since many of us paid in hard cash for paper at Broadstreet Buildings, Loudon, which paper was supposed to represent so much land ; also that our first occupants were driven from Waitara and Mangoraka, and the settlement of Xe\v Plymouth subsequently compressed within its present narrow limits. And yet we are stigmatized “ grasping, unfair, oppressive emigrants.” And now for the hewing up and cutting down,” so vividly dwelt upon by the Rev. Stowell. Was it not, in a great, measure, owing to the “ oppressive emigrant” that the enslaved Taranaki tribes returned to their country ? and who but the “ grasping emigrant ” taught them the use of the plough and of machinery, bought of them the produce of their labour and gave value to the land which but for the arrival of the European would have remained an useless waste P Who introduced the luxuries of civilization, wholesome diet, and and warm clothing ? and who but the “ grasping emigrant ” made them carts, provided them with working oxen, made roads and bridges ? Who amongst us but has some tale of oppression and wrong to relate of laws defied, of houses entered by force and robbed in the broad day by armed natives ; of fences broken down and pounds broken open ? What might we say of years of long suffering, of years of bad government ? But what avails it when ministers of the Gospel malign us, and scurrilous reviewers decry the efforts of the pioneers of civilization ? Oh ! where was your sympathy, Bathers, Brothers, Countrymen ? how have you fulfilled your duties as guardians over a new and struggling colony ? Does England find in the nineteenth century that a new country, a country as large as Great Britain cannot be acquired and peopled in the presence of a savage'population free ot cost ? Surely the islands are of some importance to the empire. Strip England of her colonies, what position would she then hold amongst the powers of Europe P If New Zealand bo a burden east her off; many a friend would receive her with open arms, and gladly afford that support which England parsimoniously withholds. To the questions put" by Canon Stowell “ But who, I would ask, caused this war ? Who has brought this trouble on New Zealand? Was it not- the grasping, unfair, and oppressive emigrants ?” I trust to be enabled to give a somewhat more honest solution than that arrived at by thorev. gentleman himself. Take a retrospective view of the state of New Zealand on the arrival of its first Governor, Captain Hobson. The natives of this island, it was supposed, numbered about 100,000 souls amongst whom the horrors of cannibalism were by no means uncommon, fighting one with the other, tribe against tribe, acknowledging no restraint biff- that of superior force. [kSce Thompson's N.Z.] Picture to ourselves the landing of Governor Hobson amongst such a horde of lavages and, to convey the native mind a prestige of British power accompanied by a force of one sergeant and three rank and file. Captain Hobson, at his death, was succeeded as wo know by Captain Fitzßoy, a man one would think, after*Canon Stowell s own heart, and whose arrival in Taranaki, many I could name, Barribal, Putt, Baylys, Smart Eishleigh, and others, have good cause to recollect. Our people were styled by his Excellency, trespassers, robbers, &c., for cultivating the very soil bought and paid for by them at Broad-street Buildings. The Maori was not slow in taking advantage of the Christian favour with which he was regarded by Church and State: and the future of the grasping and oppressive emigrant was such that it bid fair to become something approaching to that of the poor Egyptian Ecllah. Upon the arrival of Sir George Grey, in what position did he find himself when brought into contact with a turbulent native population ? With two regiments of infantry only, what could he effect swlli all his wonderful talent cause was left open to him to pursue but that cautious, temporising policy, which abundant,ly hare fruit in ihe days of bis successor, Thomas Gore Browne? To him indeed,'may we apply the terms gentleman and soldier ; with him there was no temporizing ; his pure feelings of loyalty would not permit him to share the sovereignty of his Queen with a half-civilized Maori. Wc have now Sir George Grey again, under better auspices, with the confidence of his country, backed by power : may he be successful in overcoming the many diffculties he will have to encounter.

A\ o will now consider.the'progress of the natives during a series of years. From the speeches ol chiefs at (heir runangns, wemay glean something.

Thompson a Waikato of influence says that he had striven for years to bring about unity amongst the tribes and claims the merit of originating the idea of the Maori Kingdom the land league was in force it is not nesessary here to inquire by whom these movements were brought about or by whom fostered. I wish simply to shew the state of the native mind for a considerable time previous to the war. To the superficial observer all may have appeared tranquil but to one accustomed to see and talk with Maones, it was but too evident that agitation \yas at work, emissaries were passing from tribe to tribe, the idea had grown and gathered strength, it had become thesettled and fixedresolve ot the Maon to have aKing of his own to prevent all further sales of land, and if possible to re-pos-sess themselves of the country sold by them to the white man. Though war was not declared something nearly approaching it had already been decided upon by some of the smaller tribes on the West Coast, when Taylor a Waitara chief, offered ,his land to the Government. Strange as it may appear the settlers manifeted no eagerness about the acquisition of Waitara, at this time there was no undue pressure on their part; though Taylor himself was so anxious to sell, his Excellency Col. Gore Browne gave no signs of haste in acquiring the land. The true cause of Taylor offering the South bank of Waitara arose I believe from nothing more nor less than a family quarrel. Remembei with what extreme caution the preliminaries of the purchase, inquiries into titles, &c., were gone into. What was WiremuKingi’s reply in answer to the question “Is the land Taylor’s ?” “ Yes,” but adding, “Waitara is in my hands.” Could any one have conceived at the time the true state of the Maori feeling towards Europeans after [‘the innumerable kindnesses shewn them ? Th ou»ha breach of the peace had occurred at Waitara, who could have supposed a rising of Taranaki and Ngatiruanui against the settlers, the people with whom we had lived on terms of friendship for years many of whom had eaten of our bread, lived in our houses, and had been employed as labourers on our farms ? The Waitara squabble was not (heirs. The Taranaki and Hgatiruanui were the first to commit those horrible atrocities so frequently perpetrated during the war. Turn again to Canon Stowell’s refreshing speech. “ Xew Zealand is the brightest gem in the diadem of the Church Missionary Society.” “ Yew Zealand is still a beautiful specimen ,of the work of Christ in these latter days &c.” And here again “There is now manifested in that unhappy struggle a certain degree of fair [flay, absence of treachery, bloodshed, and murder, &c.” The day seems but as yesterday when five fearfully mutilated bodies were recovered and conveyed to the Stockade, Omata. Three innocent and unaimed men and two poor boys ruthlessly murdered by savages. Canon Stowell may possibly conceive these beings to be Christians, but I pronounce them savages acting in accordance with the light that was in them—the deeds of a savage may disgust though we might pity the brutal ail'd ferocious nature of the man. That day can never be obliterated from my memory in one hour five families Mete made desolate. A\ hat words can pourtray that scene—two fathers mourningoverthe lifeless and bloody forms of their children extended at their feet ? Alas those victims are still unavenged! How many might we name who have been treacherously cut off clurino’ the war J. ITurford, E. Brown, W. C. Khm, C. Hants, J. E. Messenger, H. Crann, and J. Sarten. After the affair at Puketakauore our wounded soldiers wore murdered in cold blood. Are these the deeds the Eev. Stowell remarks upon that would put some deeds of the British arms to the blush ? How directly opposed to all this was the conduct of our own troops at Mahoeta.hi, after the skirmish the wounded Maoris were conveyed to our hospital, and when cured were permitted to retinal in peace to their own country. Mark what applause attended and with self-satisfaction Canon Stowell concludes his remarkable speech—“ and I am satisfied it is a wholesome truth to tell it.”

In what spirit shall we reply to these revilings. “ Exit I say unto you resist uot evil,” are the words of him who died for all men. I appeal to his Lordship George Selwyu, Bishop of New'.Zealand to judge truly (as he himself will bo judged at the last day) between us and Canon Stowell of Manchester. Has Canon Stowell borne false witness or has he not ? Or are we indeed guilty of the war? Did we bring this trouble on New Zealand ? Are we grasping, unfair, and oppressive emigrants, the offscouring and the vagabonds of the Mother Country ? Harsh words and hard to bear now in the time of our distress. The .Rev. Stowell chose well his hour. T.uunaki Militiaman. New Plymouth, Gth Feb. 18G2.